Supplementing

It is with a heavy heart that I have come to realize my sweet boy (4 months old) is going to have to be supplemented. We have had a great breastfeeding experience thus far, but supply has always been an issue. I work 13-14 hour shifts 3 x week and my mom keeps him those days. I nurse like crazy the 4 days off (and pump as well). I honestly feel like my mom who keeps him while I work feeds him too much. I don't entirely blame her though because he is a huge comfort nurser and can understand he is hard to soothe unless he is nursing. That has to be hard for caregivers!

I have tried just about everything with boosting my supply and it has increased some, but we are still short on some days. My question is that when I do have to supplement, should I add the formula with the breastmilk or give the formula straight?

Re: Supplementing

Give the formula straight in separate bottles. That way if baby doesn't finish a bottle you won't be wasting breastmilk. Formula has to be thrown out if it isn't drunk soon, but breastmilk can sit for a bit and you can finish the bottle later.

You'll be fine, mama. I know it's ideal to give only breastmilk, but giving formula while you're at work isn't a failure or an end to your nursing relationship. I had to use formula at day care with both my kids and we were able to maintain wonderful nursing relationships when we were together.

“We are not put on earth for ourselves, but are placed here for each other. If you are there always for others, then in time of need, someone will be there for you.”
--Anonymous

Re: Supplementing

So true!!! Thank you!!!!! He does take a pacifier sometimes which helps, but my mom says he still acts hungry. My husband keeps him some on the weekends I work and he doesn't eat as much those days. She didn't nurse my brother and I so I almost wonder if it stems back to when we were babes it was great to have those big babies who liked to eat. I've tried explaining it to her, but no luck. She has fed him a crazy amount in a short period of time and then almost brags on my big eater.

I am sooooo grateful for my mom watching him, so I'm trying to tread softly here. I'll be able to keep up my supply to nurse when I'm off and appreciate that time together even more!

Re: Supplementing

Hi Mama
Can you tell us how you leave milk for your mom to feed? how many bottles and how big are the bottles? Your mom may be overfeeding, and there may be ways to prevent like (such as a pacifier, other ways to soothe him like walks, playtime, cuddling, smaller bottles, more bottles with less in them, etc).

I supplement as well. It usually worked out that if my girls took 4 bottles, I made 3 up of breastmilk and the 4th of formula. But I have mixed it in the past (say if I only had 1oz of breastmilk) and that is fine, but like others said, if you don't mix them then leftover breastmilk can be fed at the next feeding while formula must be tossed within 1 hour.

Full time working Mom to 3, DH is my hero as a SAHD:
DS July'09, nursed for 12 weeks
DD1 & DD2 April'11, tandem nursed for 16 months

Re: Supplementing

She actually comes to our house and keeps him here, so there is free range to my "stash." I make my bags between 3-3.5 oz. She mixes those together sometimes. I know y'all will freak when you read this, but yesterday morning she fed him 7oz at 7 and then another 7 at 9:30. He drinks it all, but I think he would drink just about anything that he is offered.

Re: Supplementing

Good god! That's way too much. Maybe if you get her some info from a source other than you she might be more willing to listen. To me, that would be less a matter of worrying about using up my milk (though that's huge) and more a matter of health concerns for my child.

Re: Supplementing

Although it may be difficult to talk with your mother, you need to and to set some ground rules.

I would suggest you make bottles ahead of time, leave them in the fridge, and keep all other milk in another fridge (if you have one) or in the freezer, or hidden in the fridge. Make enough bottles for 1.5oz per hour you are gone, make 3-4oz bottles, with an extra 2oz backup.

If you are gone for 8 hours, leave 12 oz. Leave four 3oz bottles, plus another 2oz bottle for emergencies. Tell your mother not to feed more than that, that the 2oz bottle shouldn't be needed, and that she may not need the 4th bottle either.

Tell your mother that just because baby will drink more doesn't mean they should or need to. Also babies don't just cry because they are hungry (I say this because my MIL thinks everytime my baby cries they need to eat). Sgugest alternative methods of soothing and bonding.

Full time working Mom to 3, DH is my hero as a SAHD:
DS July'09, nursed for 12 weeks
DD1 & DD2 April'11, tandem nursed for 16 months